4 Minnesota Vikings whose roster spot is in danger after 2024 free agency

The Minnesota Vikings surely aren't done reshaping the roster aggressively this offseason. But general manager Kwefi Adofo-Mensah has already done a phenomenal job in the early stages of 2024 NFL free agency to improve his team, even if the job's not completely done just yet.

Additions like Jonathan Greenard and Blake Cashman should elevate Brian Flores' defense, as should the recent addition of Shaq Griffin. Offensively, Aaron Jones is a boom for the rushing attack (while also sticking it to the rival Packers) and Sam Darnold provides a stopgap option at quarterback.

Again, that's not the end of the work to be done for the Vikings, nor is it all the moves they've made. Minnesota is still expected to be aggressive in trying to trade up for a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft, they've been connected to possible other trades, and there's always the chance that more free agents are coming.

Having said all of that, with the way the chips have fallen, these four Minnesota Vikings are going to need the right breaks to end up making the roster after training camp... and even then, it still might not be enough.

4. Andre Carter II doesn't add much value to Vikings new EDGE group

There were a lot of fans of Andre Carter II when he came out of Army as he was wildly productive at West Point throughout his college career. However, some of the hype around Carter crashed down to Earth after a letdown performance at the NFL Combine. That led to him being undrafted, but he still signed with the Vikings and ultimately made the roster.

As a rookie, Carter was rarely used, playing just 68 total snaps for the Vikings in the 2023 season. He was far from an abject disaster when he got on the field, to be sure, but it was also clear in the small sample size that his physical limitations might be exactly that at the NFL level for him -- limitations.

So far this offseason, the Vikings have made a concerted effort to reshape their group of edge rushers, signing Jonathan Greenard to a big-money deal to replace Danielle Hunter while also bringing in veterans Andrew Van Ginkel and Jihad Ward. They also have Pat Jones II still on the roster, a Day 2 draft pick in 2021.

While Jones is another possible candidate, the new additions with Minnesota don't lend themselves to Carter having a clear path to making the roster, especially if the Vikings aim to add another depth piece via the draft to this position group. He looks like the most likely cut from this group given his shortcomings and lack of long-term outlook.

3. Joejuan Williams doesn't have a spot in Brian Flores' defense

Speaking of position groups that the Vikings are definitely looking to see a change from, you could make the argument that's not needed anywhere more on the defense than in the cornerback room.

Minnesota brought in Byron Murphy Jr. last season, but he was up-and-down with a slight lean toward the latter in his first season with the franchise. Beyond that, it was very much a revolving door at the position throught the season as Brian Flores continually was looking for answers. That's a big reason why the club signed Shaq Griffin. He's not a game-changer by any stretch, but he's a more solid option than what they had on the roster.

Beyond those two players who are likely the outside starters as things currently stand, the Vikings also have Mekhi Blackmon, Akayleb Evans, Andrew Booth Jr., NaJee Thompson, and Joejuan Williams on the depth chart, among a few others. Blackmon, Evans and Booth were all players who gave fans hope at various points of their young careers, and could still be worthwhile projects. Thompson, meanwhile, is a valued special teams player.

That likely means Joejuan Williams is the odd man out from this group, especially, as was the case on the edge, if a rookie is also added into the mix. Whether in Minnesota or with the Patriots, the former second-round pick has never found his footing at the NFL level after being drafted in 2019. With that shaky track record attached to him and the somewhat enticing upside of other, younger options, it's hard to see the Vikings having Williams stick around when there's not much he can offer to this group.

2. Jay Ward likely won't have a spot in the Vikings secondary

To be sure, the Vikings haven't made any moves at the safety position. At the same time, though, the moves that this team has made overall foreshadow that Adofo-Mensah, Flores and head coach Kevin O'Connell are all making a concerted effort to change the make-up of this defensive unit. As such, I expect some changes to also be on the way for the safety room.

Though Minnesota would be wise to bring in another body either by way of free agency or the draft, it does appear that the team is content to run it back with longtime starter Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum, both of whom have still played well recently, with hybrid Josh Metellus working out of the slot. But there are big questions about the depth of this group.

In some world, the team could prefer to see more of Jay Ward than former first-round pick Lewis Cine, who suffered a compound fracture as a rookie and was limited to almost solely special teams duties in 2023. But at the same time, cutting Cine would be cost-prohibitive with no cap savings and a sizable amount of dead money coming on the books. Ward doesn't carry that, which could make him the easier player to cut.

Expect to see Cine and Ward battle for a spot on the 53-man roster in camp, and that's without anyone else being brought in. But with the way the roster is being reshaped, this fits the bill of a tough decision that seems likely from the Vikings coaching staff and front office.

1. Jaren Hall will almost surely be pushed out of Vikings QB room

A fifth-round pick out of BYU last year, there were several people who were excited to see what quarterback Jaren Hall could do at the helm of the Vikings offense. Unfortunately, the chances to see that were limited as he suffered multiple injuries when the opportunities arose for him to get on the field in his rookie season.

The quarterback room is clearly the biggest focus of the Vikings this offseason in the wake of Kirk Cousins' departure. Bringing in Sam Darnold seems like a move that forecasts the former first-round pick being a bridge or stopgap option for a rookie, whether that would be J.J. McCarthy, Drake Maye or whoever else. And if that's the case, then having a veteran backup like Nick Mullens would also make sense.

Hall, on the other hand, doesn't really fit into this picture. In fact, you could argue that the only way keeping Hall on the roster would make sense would be if the Vikings didn't come out of the draft with a quarterback, which seems just plainly far-fetched at this point.

Subsequently, Hall feels like the surest bet to not be on the Vikings roster once Week 1 comes around. The situation that Minnesota is in doesn't lend itself to keeping a raw fifth-round rookie on the roster and it's almost a near certainty that the QB room is comprised of Darnold, Mullens, and a rookie yet to be determined.